The Stars Never Fall
by fukaimori-inu
Summary: Kagome sees Inuyasha with Kikyo yet again, and returns to her own time. Will he return to Kikyo once and for all, or take the time to discover what is really going on between him and Kagome. [AN: being updatededited!]
1. Chapter 1 The Return Home

Hello! This is a re-post of my original story which I began almost four years ago…I am currently in the process of editing the content, and my goal is to complete the story relatively soon. To my former readers: you will notice that some of the content details have changed slightly, but the overall storyline has remained the same. I have removed superfluous comments of my own, and will be adding to the story as I go.

Thank you for your patience, and I truly hope you enjoy my updated version of "The Stars Never Fall."

Blanket Disclaimer: I do not, nor claim to, own any of the characters within this story, except for those of my creation, which will be noted at the beginning of their introductory chapter.

Enjoy! – Jen

* * *

Chapter 1 – The Return "Home"

"Kagome, are you sure you're up to this? Your grandfather told us that you had a rare joint disease and could barely walk!"

'Jii-chan, if you would stop making up all of these diseases, I could actually go to school when I'm home!'

My name is Kagome Higurashi. I live at Higurashi shrine in Tokyo, Japan and ever since I turned 15, I've been traveling back and forth between Feudal Japan and the present. On my first visit, I learned that the Shikon no Tama actually existed . . . inside my body! The jewel was shattered after a centipede demon bite it out of my side and a corpse-dancing crow stole it. Now, I travel with a half inu-demon, half human named Inuyasha. Throughout our journeys, we met a young, orphaned kitsune named Shippou, a hentai of a monk named Miroku, and a tajiyasan named Sango who have all joined us on our quest for the Shikon shards. I spend most of my time in Feudal Japan, but I come back home whenever I have a major test, or have just had a huge fight with Inuyasha . . . like this time.

- flashback to yesterday -

"Inuyasha! Osuwari!" crash Inuyasha's body slammed into the forest floor.

"What the hell was that for, wench!"

"You know exactly what it was for!" Kagome stood fuming, then turn and ran with tears streaming from her eyes. 'Why did I have to see that? Why should I care?!'

"Oi! Kagome!" She heard his voice, but kept running as a new wave of sadness engulfed her. She knew he didn't know what he had done . . . the confusion in his eyes proved that. That's what hurt the most

'Everything's been going so well, too! We haven't fought in ages...even Sango mentioned that to me, just this morning.'

That morning seemed like it had happened a year ago. With Shippou and Kirara keeping guard over Miroku, Kagome and Sango had wandered off to their favorite hot spring. Now only a few hours later, Kagome found herself following the path she knew all too well. Entering the clearing of the bone- eaters well, her heart shattered as the scene of what she had just witnessed played in her mind like a movie.

Inuyasha stood beneath a tree, not by himself, but instead with Kikyo.

"Inuyasha, come. It is time for you to leave this world and fulfill your promise. Come with me to hell. Or do you forget? We were meant to die together, Inuyasha."

"Of course I remember." Inuyasha embraced Kikyo, but took a step back as he continued talking. "But not now. I need to avenger your death by killing Naraku."

"That does not matter to me . . . what does matter is the way that girl has so easily replaced me."

"Kikyo, no one could replace you. I think about you all the time . . . it's just . . ." Inuyasha's voice faded away as Kagome stepped into the clearing. Through her tear-stained eyes, Kagome watched Kikyo's departure, unnoticed by Inuyasha.

As the memory ended, she found herself facing the edge of the well, about to step in. She stood, tears running down her cheeks, as she checked for her jewel shard necklace.

'I knew that he still loved her. Why does it hurt so very much?'

Just as she was about to jump into the well, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her, preventing her return to normalcy. "Hey! You just came back. You can't leave yet, we still have more jewel shards to find!"

Kagome paused, as his words registered in her foggy brain. She wrestled herself out of his grasp.

"Find more shards?! Is that your only reason for keeping me around? Why don't you just send for your beloved Kikyo to help you. Just because she's _dead_ doesn't mean she can't sense the jewel shards! You don't even need me here." Taking a deep breath, Kagome turned to face Inuyasha, her voice as calm and soft as the dead. "You wouldn't even notice if I left and never came back. Sit, boy."

:wham:

Birds flew from the trees as Inuyasha was given a delicious mud smoothie as his face hit the ground.

"SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT." Kagome's voice carried out of her mouth and bounced off the trees as she slid down the well, leaving behind an 8 foot, Inuyasha size hole.

- end flashback -

"Uh, Kagome? Are you there? You spaced out again." A startled Kagome jumped out of her chair as her consciousness unwillingly re-attached itself to her body.

"I'm sorry guys. I have a lot of my mind right now. Too many classes and tests to make up." 'If only that was my only problem!'

Kagome grabbed her books and followed her friends to their next class, history. 'I'll never have any problems in this class . . . I have first hand experience!'

After finding her long vacated seat, the bell rang and the teacher began one of his infamous long lectures. Within five minutes of his incessant, and incorrect, droning of the legends of the past, Kagome allowed her mind to return to the clouds once more.

'I wonder what Inuyasha's doing . . .'

"Ahh! It hurts!" Inuyasha whined, lying on the floor of Kaede's hut and clutching his aching back.

"Stop complaining, Inuyasha. I am sure ye deserved what ye got. Kagome is not one to abuse her power over ye." Kaede sat next to the fire crushing and bottling many medicinal herbs.

"Shows how much you know, baka!"

"Have ye thought about what ye did?"

"..."

"Hmm . . . ye should think about your actions. Perhaps there is truth to what I am saying, and ye need to search for it." Kaede rose from her place at the fire and left Inuyasha to his own thoughts.

"Feh." 'I didn't do anything . . . did I?'

* * *

Kagome sat at her desk staring at the Algebra problems swimming on the page. 'I should take advantage of being home. I have a huge Algebra test coming up! I need to focus.' She adjusted her book and put the pencil to her paper, but sighed and allowed the pencil to fall. 'Who am I kidding . . . I can't study. It's been too many days since I left. Why hasn't Inuyasha come for me? He's never stayed away longer than four days. Maybe . . . no . . . I can't think that. He will come for me, I know it.'

"Kagome! The phone's for you!"

"Ok, Mom! I've got it." Kagome reached for the phone and placed it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hi Kagome! It's Yuka. How are you feeling?"

"Hi Yuka. I'm fine. In fact, I think I might be in school for a while." 'I really hope not . . . I don't think I could go to school full time anymore. Not after all of my adventures.'

"That's great! Listen . . . Eri, Ayumi and I were talking the other day. Wouldn't it be fun to go on a bike ride tomorrow? To get out of the city for a bit? But if you think you're too sick to go, we understand."

"That sounds like fun. I'll go." 'I just got back to the city, but I can't expect them to know that.'

"Really? Great! Well, we'll meet you in front of the shrine tomorrow around nine, ok?"

"Sure."

"Good. Well I have to go. See you tomorrow! And don't forget your bike!"

"Bye, Yuka." click Kagome heard the disconnected tone and placed the phone in its cradle. After pushing her books aside, Kagome hurried down to the kitchen to fill her mom in on the weekend's plans.

"…so, I don't know how long we'll be. You never know with Yuka and Eri."

"Ok. That's great that you're spending time with you friends. But why aren't you going to the past this weekend?"

"Aren't I allowed to stay in my own time? Besides, I don't always have to go shard collecting. I have another life besides the one in the Feudal era." Kagome stood with her arms crossed, shooting daggers with her eyes. "Hmph. I'm going to go and get ready. I need to make sure my bike . . . oh no! I left my bike in Kaede's village! I've got to go get it." Kagome turned and ran from the kitchen and headed towards the well house, oblivious to the amused look her mother was giving her. She flung the well house door open and hurried inside. Reaching the side of the well, Kagome jumped and was immediately surrounded by a brilliant blue light.

* * *

"Inuyasha, ye must stop pouting. Why don't ye go and search for shikon shard rumors?"

"Get off my back, you old hag. I've barely been able to move since she said all those commands." The memory of him hitting the ground so many consecutive times still caused Inuyasha to shiver. "She's going to pay when she comes back."

Kaede just shook her head, "Ye are the most thickheaded person I've met."

"Feh." Inuyasha's trademark reply was all that reached the old miko's ears. After a few moments of silence, a strong breezed fluttered in through the rice-paper door. "She's back," was all Inuyasha said.

Kaede rose to greet the teenage miko they had all missed greatly, even if a particular half-demon wouldn't admit to such a thing if his brother's poisonous claws were sinking into him. Shooting a warning glance to Inuyasha, Kaede left the hut. Immediately, Kaede saw Kagome walking towards her from the edge of Inuyasha's forest.

"Child, ye have returned." Kagome looked up and waved. 'Her time's rituals are very odd.' "How long will ye be staying?"

"Actually Kaede, I only came to get my bike. I have to go back to my time in a few minutes."

"I see." Kaede watched as the young miko began searching for her bike. Sitting down by her hut, Kaede rested and began to think of a way to get the human from the future and the demi-dog demon back to speaking terms. 'It would be so much easier if I only knew what had happened in the forest that day.'

Once Kagome had found her bike (Inuyasha had attempted to bury it after he had fallen off of it while trying to learn how to ride), she returned to Kaede's hut. After sitting down, she turned to Kaede.

"Kaede, do you know where Miroku, Sango and Shippou are? I wanted to say hi."

"They left the day after ye returned to your time in search of jewel shard rumors. Shippou wouldn't leave Inuyasha alone and kept yelling at him because he made ye leave. Sango and Miroku thought it best to let Inuyasha's back recover in relative peace. I do not know when they are to return."

"Oh, I see. Well, when they do get back, would you mind telling them that I said hello?"

"Of course I will child. When do you think you will return again?" Kaede watched Kagome's cheerful eyes flash with sadness.

"I don't know. It depends on Inuyasha. I won't come back until he comes to get me, and he understands why I left in the first place. He needs to figure that out by himself." Kagome stood and grabbed her bike.

"I see." 'Inuyasha, I know ye are listening to this. Take heed. Ye must overcome your differences.' Kagome walked her bike away from the village, waving. Watching the girls retreating back, Kaede mussed to herself, 'Her customs still confuse me.'

Kaede returned to the hut to find Inuyasha sitting cross-legged on the floor of her hut.

"There is a bed made up for ye, yet you refuse to use it. I see your back is feeling better."

"Feh. I've been injured worse." The defiant look vanished from his face and was replaced by a look of confusion. "What was she talking about? I didn't do anything! What is there for me to understand?"

"Does ye not remember?" Kaede's eyebrow rose as she questioned his statement. The slightly panicked undertone did not go unnoticed by the old woman.

"No, I don't remember, stupid. I was in the woods by myself, thinking, when someone . . . oh." A wave of understanding and despair washed over Inuyasha.

"Who came to ye in the woods?" Kaede prodded. When she took notice of Inuyasha's slumped shoulders, she realized who had come to see Inuyasha. "Onee-chan." 'Sister, how is it that ye are able to cause so much heartache? Your heart has been tainted beyond repair, I believe.'

tobecontinued


	2. Chapter 2 Comings and Goings

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 2 – Comings and Goings

"Onee-chan." Kaede turned to find her older sister standing before her eyes, her silver soul catchers swimming through the air. "Why have ye come to me?"

"I have seen you walking through the forest. Why have you not stayed at the village? You never remain wandering the forest at night." Kaede's heart was lifted to find some, although not much, compassion hidden within her sister's tone.

Releasing a sigh, as she knew of the reaction she was sure to receive, Kaede began. "Sister, ye must leave Inuyasha alone." What little warmth was left in Kikyo's eyes dissipated quickly. Kaede noticed this and watched as Kikyo's body stiffened.

"That name. . . It brings so many memories and feelings of hatred. And yet, you continue to welcome him in your home, in our village. The demon that was responsible for the heartaches of our youth."

"Ye knows that it was not Inuyasha that killed ye, but Naraku. Let Inuyasha try to live and search for the shikon shards. He and Kagome-"

"Silence!" Kikyo's eyes flashed at the sound of Kagome's name. "She has taken him from me in more ways than one. That weak reincarnation has but whispers of my power, yet she somehow has a hold over his heart. Although, they are both unaware of that fact and neither would dare admit to it."

"Onee-chan."

"Allow me to finish, Kaede. I realized long ago that Inuyasha was not the central cause my death, but Naraku. I allowed my distrusting heart to control my head. Inuyasha has suffered as much as I have, if not more. He has had to live with my death, as well as the shadow of myself." At this, Kikyo paused. "Our feelings for each other were not destined for this world. This Kagome...she is good to him?"

Kaede nodded. "She puts up with more of his antics than the rest of that group can."

"I see."

Kikyo, although while alive had always been a closed person, never revealing her emotions to anyone, seemed to withdraw further into the dark mystery of what was left of her soul.

"Perhaps I never truly loved him. It is obvious what I must do." Kikyo turned from her sister and began to walk away.

"Kikyou-onee-san, what does ye intend to do?"

"My specific actions do not concern you, Kaede. But I suppose it will comfort you to know this . . I do not intend any harm to Inuyasha . . . or the girl Kagome, for that matter." Kikyo's soul catchers circled around Kikyo and carried her into the twinkling night sky. "Goodbye, Kaede. I wish you well, little sister."

* * *

"Hi Hojo!"

"Hi everyone! I'm glad to see that you're feeling better, Kagome!" Hojo began to walk to the group of girls, a backpack slung across his shoulder and his hands clutching the handlebars of his bike. Ayumi turned to Kagome.

"Sorry about this." She whispered. "It was Yuka and Eri's idea." Kagome sighed and plastered a fake smile on her face. The day was getting stranger as it went on. 'I never did figure out how I go to my bed last night…I should have been studying!'

"Hi Hojo. Are you ready to go?" Yuka asked. He nodded and mounted his bike. Soon, the group of friends was speeding off following the chosen leader, Yuka. When they reached a stretch of flat land, Hojo fell back to talk to Kagome.

"It sure has been awhile since you've been in school. I'm surprised that you were able to come on the bike ride with your recent condition." Although she knew he was genuinely concerned, his words only frustrated Kagome more.

"It wasn't that bad." 'If only I knew what IT is!"

"Well that's good. Your grandfather said that your diabetes had taken a turn for the worse and that he wasn't sure when you would be able to come home."

Kagome sighed again. 'Wow. You really are more dense than I thought! Diabetes is an old person disease mainly! And does it look like I've been in the hospital recently?!?'

Ayumi must have seen how annoyed Kagome was getting, because she soon dropped back and suggested that the group stop for lunch soon. The ravenous looks on Eri and Ayumi's faces sealed the deal. When a dry clearing was found, the group settled down and began feasting on the array of sandwiches. Surprisingly, Hojo entertained the girls with re-enactments from their latest school play, twisting the characters around to make them funnier than before.

'Hmm. This isn't as bad as I thought it would be with Hojo joining us. I just hope that he doesn't ask me out on a date! Doesn't he get that I don't like him? But, it's not like I have anything to look forward to with Inuyasha. He's still hung up on Kikyo.' Kagome pushed that disheartening statement to the back of her mind. After all, it wasn't every day she got to catch up with her old friends.

The sandwiches were quickly gone. After playfully arguing over where to go to next, the friends gathered up their belongings and headed off to their next destination.

* * *

'She saw me with Kikyo.' Inuyasha remained where Kaede had left him moments before. 'But why would that upset her? It's not like she could ever want to be with me. Not a hanyou.' Sinking back to the floor, he tried to remember exactly what Kagome had said.

- flashback -

After Kaede had left the hut, Inuyasha flicked his ears in the direction of Kagome's voice. He listened to the conversation between Kaede and his Kagome unfold. 'Wait, MY Kagome?' A small smile played on his lips. 'Maybe one day.' Kagome had just greeted Kaede.

"Child, ye have returned."

'Well duh, you baka. What else would she be, a ghost?!'

"I see. When will ye come back?"

'She's not staying?'

"I don't know. It depends on Inuyasha. He needs to understand why I left, and I'm not going to help him."

- end flashback -

"Feh. What am I doing going soft over a human? Of course, I did that when I was with Kikyo too. That's the problem." Lost in his own thoughts and worries, Inuyasha didn't notice the four scents that were wafting into the hut. The group's voices, however, soon reached his sensitive ears and snapped him out of his daydreams.

"We're finally back! It took too long this time." The young fox kitsune was leading the group back into the village. Miroku and Sango were following, and Kirara was perched on Sango's shoulder. "Sango, when will Kagome be back?"

"Shippou, you must stop asking that question," Miroku lighting reprimanded the young child."

"I don't think she'll be back for awhile," Sango sadly answered. "She must have been pretty upset. Miroku nodded in agreement.

"That meanie, Inuyasha! He drove her away!"

"I do not believe he understands Lady Kagome's feelings for him," Miroku stated.

"She's probably really mad at him!" Shippou replied, balling his hands into small fists.

"I don't think so, Shippou. She really cares for him; more than any of us know." Sango looked at Shippou, bleakly smiling. "She'll come back though, don't worry." Silence carried the group to Kaede's hut.

Inuyasha had finally moved. He was now sitting by the fire, starring blankly into the flames as thoughts ran through his head. 'She has feelings for me? More than they know? Could she possible love me? No, not a dirty-blood hanyou...I've got to go to her.'

"What is he doing?" Sango whispered to Miroku.

"I expect he's thinking about Lady Kagome's disappearance down the well."

"Hmm." Sango nodded in agreement. Once all three members of the traveling group had made their way inside, the supplies were removed from their backs and placed against the wall by the door. They all eyed Inuyasha warily as they sat down. Only Shippou had seen him like this before; after Inuyasha had sent Kagome "home for good" after Sesshomaru's attack, when Naraku helped him. After several hushed minutes, Inuyasha abruptly stood up and walked silently out of the hut.

"I guess his back is feeling better," Sango said, smiling.

Inuyasha bounded off in the direction of the well. Looking towards the sky, he noticed the position of the sun. 'Good. The sun hasn't even reached the tips of the trees. I'll have plenty of time to talk to her before the sun sets.' Reaching the well, Inuyasha jumped immediately, not noticing the old miko who was reaching the clearing.

Inuyasha's feet touched down in the now-covered well. Smelling the breeze that was blowing into the shrine's building, he picked up all of Kagome's family's scents but hers. "Huh?" He quickly slid open the door and stepped into the fading sun's rays. "Good, she's still home," he said as her scent finally filled his nose. He jumped to the balcony outside of her window and pushed the window open. "She's asleep!" he said incredulously. "It's not even dark out!" He looked to the girl who had brought him to this time. Kagome was asleep, her head resting on her arms, propped upon the opened algebra book. "I tried to tell her those spells would do something strange to people." Shaking his head, he easily lifted the sleeping teenager and carried her bridal style to her bed. Blushing, he said "She must have been really tired. This usually wakes her up." With one hand he pulled the covers down and placed Kagome on the bed. He tucked the covers underneath her chin and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. He pulled his hand back as if he had been burned when he realized what he was doing. 'But she's so calm and assured when she sleeps. It's as if she doesn't think anything could harm her when she sleeps. Well, she knows that I'll protect her from anything. Whoa! Where did that come from! I shouldn't be saying that. I love Kikyo! Don't I? Feh, stupid girl for making me feel this way.' He looked back at Kagome who was now faintly smiling. 'I wonder what she's dreaming about.'

". . . yasha . . ."

"Huh? She's dreaming about me?" A grin spread across his face. "I'll be back tomorrow, Kagome." With that, he crawled onto the balcony, closing the window behind him.

Back inside the room, Kagome was finishing her dream.

"...why did you go to her, Inuyasha? Why?..." the smile turned to a frown. Kagome sat up strait, clutching the blankets to her. "What was I dreaming about?" she wondered. "And how did I get to bed?"

* * *

"I can't believe that we forgot about the festival! This was such a good idea, Ayumi," Yuka said, leading the group to the nearing festival. They could see the tips of the rides drawing closer with each rotation of the pedals. "There it is!"

"Wow. This is even better than last year's festival! There are a lot more rides," Eri noted as the teenagers pulled into the parking lot. Hojo found a bike rack and soon the bikes were secured.

"Well, let's go!" Kagome was bursting with excitement. She had missed the carnival last year, preoccupied with fighting a water demon that had two shards of the shikon jewel. They all went to the ticket window and each bought five ride tickets. "What should we do first?" There was a seemingly endless array of activities: games, food, a ferris wheel, go carts, bumper cars…

"Let's go on the ferris wheel. That way we can see everything there is to do." Everyone agreed with Hojo's suggestion and dashed off to join the growing line at the ferris wheel. After a brief waiting time, the line began to move and people filed into the waiting seats. Yuka, Eri and Ayumi claimed one basket, leaving Kagome with Hojo. Eri just grinned and waved, but Ayumi shot Kagome a sympathetic smile.

'At least someone understands that I don't like him. I wish Yuka and Eri would stop trying to set us up.' She looked at Hojo who was smiling broadly and waving back to Eri. 'Poor Hojo. He just doesn't get it!' The ride jolted to a start and Kagome was thrown out of her thoughts. "Oww," she said, rubbing her sore head that had just hit the hard backing of the seat…

"Are you alright?" a concerned Hojo asked.

"I'm fine." The remaining ride to the top was uneventful. The wheel slowed to a stop and the pair turned to the side of the basket. "Wow, look at all this stuff!"

"It's great, isn't it? Too bad you couldn't come last year. We had a lot of fun. But your asthma was really bad that day."

:gulp:

'Jii-chan...' "Yeah, too bad." The ride continued and Kagome and Hojo finished the ride in silence. 'This festival is nothing like the ones in the past. All of the vendors with their cloth and sake and jewels…I think I prefer our festival in the village.' Returning to the ground, Kagome quickly suggested their next step. "Who's up for bumper cars?" The building had caught her attention when she was up in the air. Besides, what better way for her to get back at her friends for leaving her with Hojo? They were going to pay...She took off in the direction of the cars and beat her friends to the line. They followed, panting as if they had just run a mile.

"Kagome, how :pant: did you pant learn to run :pant: that fast?" Eri clutched the line bar with the last word.

"Umm..." 'Well you see, I've actually been fighting demons these past few years, and have had to run away more times than I can count and a half- demon pushes us to walk unreasonable amounts each day and...' "I've just tried to stay in shape when I haven't been sick." Her friends accepted this rather lame lie quickly enough as Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. They had soon recovered and were ready to go. Their turn came and each of them piled into separate cars, much to Kagome's relief. The cars were activated and the war began. Kagome was the undeclared champ. She attacked everyone in range. By the end of the game, they had been hit so many times that they lost count. She was about to go after Yuka again when the ride ended and her car lost its power. "What's wrong? Can't take a little competition?" she taunted. Laughing, she led the way out of the ride and into the fresh air.

"Lets take a break from the rides," Eri suggested. Everyone but Kagome nodded their heads vigorously.

"Ok then. I saw some neat little stores when we first came in. Let's go shopping!" Ayumi said. Hojo groaned, but followed as the girls led him into the first shop they came to. Luckily for him it was a candy store. Jars of sweets lined the shelves of the little shop.

'I bet Shippou would love some of these. I'll have to take some back for him.' Kagome found a jar filled with Jolly Ranchers and picked out several cherry and watermelon candies. She passed over all the chocolates remembering her last experience with chocolate in the feudal era...

- flashback -

"Did you bring me something, Kagome? Please please please?" Shippou begged. Kagome smiled down at the young kitsune.

"Of course I did! But you'll have to be careful. It can get pretty messy and sticky, ok?" Shippou nodded his head vigorously and jumped down from his place in Kagome's arms. Following her to her oversized yellow backpack, he held out his hands and closed his eyes. "Here you go!"

Shippou opened his eyes to find a strange dark brown bar in his hands. "What's this?" he asked.

"It's called a chocolate bar. You eat it. Go on, try a little bit," Kagome encouraged. Shippou hesitantly nibbled a corner of the chocolate. His eyes lit up and he quickly stuffed the rest of the bar into his mouth.

"Yummy! That was really good! Do you have anymore?" Shippou asked hopefully. Kagome nodded and pointed to a rather large bag sitting, opened, by her backpack.

"But, you aren't allowed to have anymore until after dinner. If you eat too much of it, you'll get sick. I wouldn't want that to happen. Do you promise not to eat any more of it right now?"

"I promise," Shippou said. Kagome smiled at him and walked off to talk to Sango. She was so busy catching up with her best friend that she didn't even notice a little fox tiptoeing to her bag and swiping the bag of chocolates.

Inuyasha's return from his hunt was announced with several cries from both him and Shippou.

"Come back here, you little runt!"

"Nah nah nah! You can't catch me!" Shippou taunted, sticking his tongue out at Inuyasha. Inuyasha pounced at him, but Shippou leaped out of the way just in time.

"What's giving you all of this extra energy!" Inuyasha yelled.

'Oh no,' Kagome thought. 'Shippou must have eaten more chocolate and the sugar made him hyper!' Thinking fast, Kagome did the only thing she could to subdue Inuyasha long enough to grab Shippou. "Sit boy!" she yelled.

"Come back here -gah! Umph" Inuyasha slammed face first into the ground, pulled down by the prayer beads around his neck. Kagome picked up a bouncing Shippou and looked at him sternly.

"Shippou, did you eat the chocolate even though I told you were not allowed to have anymore until after dinner?" She looked straight at him, not even blinking. He squirmed under her gaze.

"I only had a few more..." he admitted.

"Even though I told you that you weren't allowed to have any?" Kagome continued. Shippou sadly nodded his head, looking down at the ground. "I see." Kagome sighed. "Well, I'm going to have to punish you, Shippou. The candy makes you hyper and you ate it even though I told you not to. You are not allowed to sleep in my sleeping bag for three nights, and I am not going to bring you any more chocolate. Do you understand?" Shippou sniffled and nodded his head. "Ok then. I need to start making dinner. Why don't you go and get me some more fire wood?" She placed Shippou down and began to set up for their meal.

- end flashback -

Kagome sighed as she remembered how upset Shippou had been that night. She had to admit, it was lonely in that sleeping bag without the kitsune to cuddle with.

"Is everything alright, Kagome?" Hojo asked.

"Huh?" Kagome's head shot up at the sound of her name. "Yeah, everything's fine. Thanks for asking, Hojo." Hojo nodded and continued browsing through the candy store.

'I guess I'll have to be careful when I think about my adventures. I don't need to make them more suspicious. It's bad enough I miss so much school!'

Kagome brought her candies up to the front and paid. Walking outside, she was met by her friends who were anxious to continue their adventure at the festival.


End file.
